Dutch population taller and heavier (2024)

Dutch population taller and heavier (1)

The average weight of men and women in the Netherlands has increased more rapidly over the past two decades than their average length. As a result, the number of overweight people has grown significantly. Last year, 54 percent of adult men and 43 percent of adult women were overweight.

Men on average 2.1 cm taller, women 0.6 cm

The average size of Dutch men and women in 2011 was 1.81 m and 1.68 m respectively. Compared to 1991, men are on average 2.1 cm taller, women 0.6 cm. The difference between average male body size and average female body size has increased from 11.9 to 13.4 cm.

Reported length, adults (20 years or older)

Dutch population taller and heavier (2)

Average weight and average length

The body weight of the average Dutch adult has increased more rapidly than their body length. Over the past two decades, the average man gained 5.6 kg and the average woman 3.7 kg. The average weight in the adult male population was 84kg in 2011 versus 70 kg in the adult female population.

Reported weight, adults (20 years or older)

Dutch population taller and heavier (3)

Growing amount of people overweight

Changes in body length and weight over the past twenty years were concomitant with a considerable increase in people struggling with overweight problems. Last year, 54 percent of adult men and 43 percent of adult women were overweight versus 39 and 31 percent respectively twenty years ago. The proportion of obese people has also increased relatively fast. An individual with a body length of 1.81 m is defined as obese, if they weigh 98.3 kg or more. An individual with a body length of 1.68 m is defined as obese, if they weigh 84.7 kg or more.

Percentage of overweight adults (20 years or older)

Dutch population taller and heavier (4)
Elma Wobma and Jan-Willem Bruggink

Source: Food for thought

Dutch population taller and heavier (2024)

FAQs

Why are Dutch people getting taller? ›

Scientists attribute this to a diet that is rich in milk and meat. The Dutch have grown so quickly in a short period of time that most of the growth is attributed to their changing environment. They are one of the world's largest producers and consumers of cheese and milk.

Are Dutch people taller than Americans? ›

A land of giants, the Netherlands is the loftiest nation on Earth: the average height of a Dutch man is 182.5cm; a Dutch woman 168.7cm. By comparison their American counterparts measure 177.1cm and 163.5cm respectively. It wasn't always this way.

Do statistics show that the Dutch are the tallest race? ›

At just over 6 feet for men and about 5-foot-6 for women, the Dutch are still the world's tallest population.

When did Dutch people become tall? ›

The Dutch were once short

In fact, back in the mid-1800s, along with France and Italy, they were one of the three shortest countries out of the six investigated. From 1820 to 1875 median Dutch male height hovered around 165 centimetres before shooting up more than 15 centimetres over the last 130 years.

What is the tallest race in the world? ›

Dutch people are the tallest people in the world. They have an average height of 175.62 cm (5 feet 7.96 inches).

Which nationality is the tallest? ›

According to the report, the Netherlands is still the world's tallest nation with the average height in the country for men 183.78 cm, or 6 foot, and 170.36 cm, or 5 foot 7 inches for women.

What country has the tallest men? ›

The Netherlands is also known as the land of giants. Ever wondered where the tallest men and women live in the world? Well, the answer is Netherlands. Also called a land of giants, the Netherlands is home to men with an average height of a Dutch man is 182.5 cm (about 6 feet).

How tall is the average Dutch woman? ›

Women of the same age born in the Netherlands measure 169.3 cm. During the course of the last century we have kept growing taller, but after 1980 this growth seemed to have ceased.

Who are the Dutch descended from? ›

Netherlands. Popular belief holds that the Dutch are a mixture of Frisians, Saxons, and Franks. In fact, research has made plausible the contention that the autochthonous inhabitants of the region were a mixture of pre-Germanic and Germanic population groups who in the course of time had converged on the main deltaic…

What is the tallest race of men? ›

The Netherlands is renowned for its tall population and unsurprisingly the nation has the tallest average height on Earth. The average 19-year-old man stands at 183 cm, while women of the same age are typically 172 cm.

What percent of Dutch are obese? ›

Share of the population classed as overweight in the Netherlands in 2021
CharacteristicShare of the population
Moderately overweight (20+)36.2%
Seriously overweight (obese) (20+)14.6%
Moderately overweight (4-20 yrs)12.8%
Seriously overweight (obese) (4-20 yrs)3.6%
Mar 16, 2023

What are the characteristics of Dutch people? ›

They are disciplined, conservative, and pay attention to the smallest details. They see themselves as thrifty, hardworking, practical and well organized. They place high value on cleanliness and neatness. At the same time, the Dutch are very private people.

How tall is a normal Dutch person? ›

We don't know if you've realised yet, but let us break the news: people from the Netherlands are tall, in fact, they're the tallest on the planet. Studies show that the average height for Dutch men is 1.86 cm (over 6′) whereas an average American is 1.76 cm (5'9”). So why are the Dutch so tall, you ask?

Why are the Dutch so good at English? ›

Contributing factors for the high degree of English fluency are the similarity of the two languages, the country's small size, dependence on international trade, and the use of subtitles for foreign languages on television, rather than audio dubbing.

Why are Scandinavians so tall? ›

Experts say natural selection, combined with a good animal protein diet, makes these Nordic locals taller than their counterparts elsewhere in the world. The Norwegians, like some of the other tallest people in the world have some great genetic backgrounds. Average height of Norwegians: 5 feet 7.97 inches.

What is the shortest ethnicity? ›

  • Pygmies: “Pygmoi population” has an average male adult height <150 cm with reasonably well-conserved body proportions. ...
  • Sardinians: The Mediterranean island of Sardinia has the shortest stature amongst all European tribes. ...
  • Andaman Islanders: Islanders of Andaman have the shortest stature in India.
Jan 12, 2022

Which country has the tallest females? ›

Netherlands

What's the tallest girl in the world? ›

Rumeysa Gelgi, the 26-year-old Turkish-born woman, is the tallest woman in the world, measuring in at 7 feet 0.7 inches, or 215 centimeters. She holds the 2023 Guinness World Record for being the tallest woman.

How tall was an average Viking? ›

The average height of Vikings as found by researchers and scholars, varied depending on a number of factors, including their age and gender. Typically, the average male Viking would usually be between 5 foot 7 and 5 foot 9, while the average female would be between 5 foot 1 and 5 foot 3.

How tall is the average German man? ›

Male
CountryAverage height / Weight / BMI
Germany1.80 m88.7 kg
Dominica1.80 m80.7 kg
Belgium1.79 m85.9 kg
Bermuda1.79 m88.4 kg
116 more rows

What country has the largest people? ›

In 2022, China remains the country with the largest population in the world, with more than 1.43 billion people. India has the second largest population in the world, with just above 1.4 billion inhabitants.

What state has the tallest people? ›

For instance, Montana and Utah are the tallest states in America with an average height of 5'7.7″, while Hawaii has the lowest average height of 5'6″.

How tall is the average Chinese man? ›

5 ft 7.6 in

What is considered tall for a woman? ›

See if you're 5'9" or taller.

Though this measurement can change depending on your age and what country you're from. For example in Baltic countries, this is only a few inches above the average, whereas, in countries like Mexico, where people are shorter, this is quite a tall height for a woman.

What is the average weight of a Dutch woman? ›

Average weight and average length

The average weight in the adult male population was 84kg in 2011 versus 70 kg in the adult female population.

What do the Dutch eat for dinner? ›

Dutch dinner

The Dutch eat relatively early starting from 5 to 7 p.m., families mostly eat together around the dinner table. A typical Dutch dinner meal consists of potatoes, meat and vegetables, served with gravy. Dinner is often followed by a dessert in the form of yogurt or coffee.

Who was the tallest Dutch girl? ›

Trijntje Keever was the daughter of Cornelis Keever and Anna Pouwels. Cornelis was a Dutch skipper and Anna was his maid; he married her on May 24, 1605. Trijntje was born on April 10 or 16, 1616, in Edam.
...
Trijntje Keever
Known forTallest female person in recorded history (alleged)
Height8 ft 4.5 in or 2.55 m
3 more rows

What is meant by black Dutch? ›

Germans with swarthy or darker complexions were called "Black Dutch" (or Schwarze Deutsche or "black german"). According to James Pylant, who studied families claiming "Black Dutch" as part of their heritage: "There are strong indications that the original "Black Dutch" were swarthy-complexioned Germans.

Are the Dutch considered Vikings? ›

No, the Dutch were not part of the Vikings. The Vikings originated in Scandinavia. Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe that traditionally included the kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Sometimes people include modern Iceland in the broader region of Scandinavia.

What is the DNA of the Dutch? ›

Historically, Nederlanders were often intermixed with many ethnic groups. According to DNA testing companies, Dutch DNA is considered mainly Germanic French, which seems a broader stroke of DNA than some common and visible Dutch characteristics that I see.

How tall is the average white man? ›

These are average heights for U.S. men by race: Non-Hispanic white: 177.4 centimeters, or just under 5 feet, 10 inches. Non-Hispanic black: 175.5 centimeters, or just over 5 feet, 9 inches.

Who is the tallest human in history? ›

According to the Guinness World Records, the tallest human in recorded history was Robert Wadlow of the United States (1918–1940), who was 272 cm (8 ft 11 in).

Can a boy be taller than his dad? ›

Genes aren't the sole predictor of a person's height. In some instances, a child might be much taller than their parents and other relatives. Or, perhaps, they may be much shorter. Such key differences may be explained by other factors outside of your genes that contribute to height.

Who are the slimmest people in Europe? ›

Norwegians are amongst the world's slimmest people, with the lowest consumption of alcohol in Europe, and the healthiest pensioners in any country.

How much do Dutch people weigh? ›

The average man is now 1.81 metres tall, up 3.8 centimetres on 1981, and weighs 85 kilos, a rise of 2.3 kilos on 40 years ago. Women are 1.5 centimetres taller, with an average height of 1.67 metres, and weigh 72 kilos.

What ethnic group is the least obese? ›

In 2021, black adults had the highest obesity rates of any race or ethnicity in the United States, followed by American Indians/Alaska Natives and Hispanics. As of that time, around 44 percent of all black adults were obese. Asians/Pacific Islanders had by far the lowest obesity rates.

What color eyes do Dutch people have? ›

Lighter eyes across Northern Europe
NationBlueBrown
Germany39.6%27.2%
Iceland74.5%9.2%
Netherlands60.9%21.7%
Poland52.5%35.1%
3 more rows
Mar 4, 2021

What is Dutch mentality? ›

Dutch people do not like to make detailed agreements or long-term plans. They prefer to simply start working together and let things develop. This requires much closer coordination and the willingness to adjust course if necessary.

What is unique about Dutch? ›

Dutch people are usually very open, friendly and welcoming. In the Netherlands, only parents and children live together. In general, they do not live with grandparents, aunts, and uncles. During meals, Dutch families usually share their adventures of the day.

How do Dutch guys date? ›

When it comes to dating, the Dutch like to keep things casual and let things progress naturally. And just like anything else in life, they prefer to approach their romantic pursuits with a sense of practicality.

Why is orange the color of Netherlands? ›

The orange color that's present throughout much of Dutch culture is a nod to the royal family, which is made up of members of the House of Orange. The dynasty dates back to 1544 when William of Orange inherited the estate and title at the age of 11.

Is 6ft 2 tall in the Netherlands? ›

6′2 is very common in the Netherlands. It's considered taller than average, but not uncommon. 6ft6 (2.00m) and taller and 5ft7(1.75m) and smaller are considered big and small (for males). Everything between those two are common lengths.

What do the Dutch call themselves? ›

In the Dutch language, the Dutch refer to themselves as Nederlanders.

Why Dutch are so different? ›

A personal portrait of a fascinating people, a sideways history and an entertaining travelogue, Why the Dutch are Different is the story of an Englishman who went Dutch. And loved it.

Which country speaks Dutch the most? ›

They speak Dutch in the Netherlands

Most of the people who speak Dutch (about 17 million) live in the Netherlands. The Dutch language is a West Germanic language that is spoken by around 23 million people as a first language, and about 5 million people as their second language.

Why are Russians so tall? ›

Russians are descended from genetically tall Eurasian people whose height is still seen today in Northern Europe. In some way, such height was evolutionary useful for surviving in the steppe lands that their ancestors arose from.

What country has the shortest height? ›

1. Timor-Leste — 155.47cm (5 feet 1.28 inches) People on the Southeast Asian island of Timor are an average 155.47cm (5 feet 1.28 inches) tall. The average Timorese man is 159.79cm (5 feet 2.90 inches) tall.

Where are the tallest people in the world? ›

The Netherlands — 175.62cm (5 feet 7.96 inches)

Dutch people are the world's tallest, with an average height of 175.62cm (5 feet 7.96 inches.) Dutch men are an average 182.53cm (5 feet 11.86 inches) tall.

Why are Nordic countries so tall? ›

Experts say natural selection, combined with a good animal protein diet, makes these Nordic locals taller than their counterparts elsewhere in the world. The Norwegians, like some of the other tallest people in the world have some great genetic backgrounds. Average height of Norwegians: 5 feet 7.97 inches.

Why are northern Europeans so tall? ›

(Hunter-gatherers tend to be taller because they get a more varied diet, which better supports people with genes for large size.) It can also be that in recent generations (e.g. the past 300 years) northern Europeans have had more access to animal protein than southern Europeans.

Why are Dinka so tall? ›

But how exactly the Dinka became some of the tallest people in the world? Well, this has been somewhat of a mystery that has been long debated. The most popular explanation is nutrition – a high-calorie diet rich in dairy products, grains, and meat. All organic, of course.

How tall is an average Dutch man? ›

Generation born around 1980 the tallest
birth yearMenWomen
1999183.6169.5
2000183.4169.5
2001182.9169.3
1 The figures for the last cohort (birth year 2001) indicate the average height of a 19-year-old person in 2020.
69 more rows

Which Scandinavian country has the tallest people? ›

Dutch people are the world's tallest, with an average height of 175.62cm (5 feet 7.96 inches.) Dutch men are an average 182.53cm (5 feet 11.86 inches) tall.

Which country has the tallest males? ›

Ever wondered where the tallest men and women live in the world? Well, the answer is Netherlands. Also called a land of giants, the Netherlands is home to men with an average height of a Dutch man is 182.5 cm (about 6 feet).

What are the Dutch face features? ›

Broad Face

The Dutch generally have longer and broader face structures compared to other Europeans, such as the British. Their noses are also shorter and are slightly turned up at the tip. However, as with any group or ethnicity, these are often generalizations and do not apply to the whole population.

What are Dutch physical traits? ›

And if you want to recognize a Dutch when you see him, here are some physical traits of Dutch heritage: tall, blonde, blue eyes, freckles, large smile, athletic.

What is the term black dutch mean? ›

Germans with swarthy or darker complexions were called "Black Dutch" (or Schwarze Deutsche or "black german"). According to James Pylant, who studied families claiming "Black Dutch" as part of their heritage: "There are strong indications that the original "Black Dutch" were swarthy-complexioned Germans.

Which European ethnicities are the tallest? ›

* Dutch men are the tallest on the planet, with an average height of 182.5cm. Latvian women are the tallest on the planet, with an average height of 170cm.

What is the tallest nationality in Europe? ›

The Netherlands is renowned for its tall population and unsurprisingly the nation has the tallest average height on Earth.

How tall were Native American? ›

Men stood an average 172.6 centimeters (about 5 feet, 8 inches) tall, a hair or two above Australian men (averaging 172 cm), American men of European decent (171 cm) and European men (170 cm or less).

What is the tallest race in Africa? ›

The tallest major tribe in the world is the Tutsi (also known as the Watussi) of Rwanda and Burundi, Central Africa whose young adult males average 1.83 m (6 ft).

What is the darkest African tribe? ›

Most people associate Africans with dark skin. But different groups of people in Africa have almost every skin color on the planet, from deepest black in the Dinka of South Sudan to beige in the San of South Africa.

Who is the tallest man in Africa? ›

A local hospital in northern Ghana told 29-year-old Sulemana Abdul Samed during one of his recent check-ups that he had reached the height of 9 ft 6in (2.89m).

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